Legal Insights
Plain-language guides and case briefs on Philippine law — researched from the firm's law library of 184,000+ statutes, Supreme Court decisions, and agency issuances, and written so non-lawyers can understand and act on them.
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Calling Someone a Thief in Public Can Be Slander: Key Lessons from a Condo Dispute
A heated condo dispute led to a slander conviction. Learn when public accusations of theft become criminal oral defamation in the Philippines.
Condominium Board Disputes and Slander: When Words Cross the Line
A condominium board dispute led to a slander conviction. Learn the legal boundaries of speech and the consequences of public accusations.
Deed Restrictions CAN Homeowners Associations Extend Their Term
Can homeowners associations extend deed restrictions beyond their original term? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on extending deed restrictions.
How the Agricultural Free Patent Reform Act Changed Land Ownership Rules in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains how RA 11231 removed restrictions on agricultural free patents, affecting reversion suits and property rights.
Broken Chains: Strict Evidence Rules and Estoppel in Drug Case Bail Forfeitures
The Supreme Court rules that a surety's silence on an agent's unauthorized bail bond can bar claims of invalidity through estoppel.
Protecting Children From Statutory Rape and Acts of Lasciviousness Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court affirms convictions for statutory rape and acts of lasciviousness against an 11-year-old, clarifying penalties and damages.
Treachery Unproven Conviction Reduced to Homicide Absent Deliberate Attack
Supreme Court clarifies that sudden attacks do not automatically constitute treachery, reducing a murder conviction to homicide.
Falsifying MCLE Compliance Numbers: A Supreme Court Lesson in Professional Integrity
Learn how a lawyer's use of a fictitious MCLE number led to disbarment, and what it means for every Philippine practitioner.
Reviving Judgments: The Supreme Court on Delayed Execution and Equity
A sheriff's hasty eviction without the required notice is grave abuse of authority, even when enforcing a final judgment.
Sheriffs Must Follow Procedure in Writ Execution or Face Administrative Liability
A sheriff's duty in executing a writ is ministerial but must strictly follow procedural rules, including notice periods, or face administrative sanctions.
Sheriffs Must Give Due Notice Before Enforcing Writs of Execution
A sheriff who evicts a party without the required notice commits grave abuse of authority. Learn the rules on writ enforcement.
Sheriff's Duty in Eviction: Three-Day Notice Cannot Be Skipped
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies sheriffs must give three-day notice before enforcing eviction writs, even in immediately executory cases.
When Sheriffs Evict Too Fast: The Three-Day Notice Rule in Property Cases
A sheriff who enforced a writ of execution without the required three-day notice was fined P10,000 for grave abuse of authority.
Safeguarding Rights Strict Adherence TO Chain OF Custody IN Drug Cases 8
Jurisdictional Errors in Appeals: Barangay Officials and the Sandiganbayan
When appeals from RTC rulings on RA 3019 cases go to the wrong court, the Sandiganbayan holds exclusive appellate jurisdiction.
When Death Ends a Rape Conviction: The Rule on Death Pending Appeal
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains what happens to rape and lasciviousness convictions when the accused dies before final judgment.
Broken Chains: Safeguarding Rights in Drug Cases Through Strict Evidence Handling
The Supreme Court acquits a drug suspect after finding the warrantless search invalid, reaffirming that a police officer's mere hunch cannot justify a stop and frisk.
Ensuring Justice: The Critical Role of Chain of Custody in Drug Cases
The Supreme Court affirms a drug conviction, clarifying that marking and inventory may be done at the police station, not necessarily at the arrest site.
Broken Chain Safeguarding Rights IN Drug Cases Through Strict Evidence Procedures
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Why Strict Compliance with Section 21 Matters
The Supreme Court acquits a drug suspect because police failed to justify the absence of required witnesses during inventory, underscoring the chain of custody rule.
Safeguarding Rights Strict Adherence TO THE Three Witness Rule IN Drug Cases
The Supreme Court acquits an accused in a drug case for the police's failure to comply with the three-witness rule under Section 21 of RA 9165.
Assessed Value vs Market Value: Jurisdictional Thresholds in Property Disputes
Philippine courts determine jurisdiction over property disputes by assessed value, not market value. Learn the rule from Gabrillo v. Heirs of Pastor.
Mootness Doctrine When Courts Decline TO Rule After Case Resolution
When courts decline to rule on jurisdiction and other issues raised late in litigation, and why estoppel by laches bars belated objections.
Proof Beyond Reasonable Doubt: When a Rape Accusation Fails for Lack of Force or Intimidation
The Supreme Court acquits a rape convict, explaining why voluntary consent negates force, threat, or intimidation under Article 266-A.